Elizabeth R. (esjro) - , reviewed on 8/1/2009 + 916 more book reviews

Charley Webb is the product of a dysfunctional family who has somewhat made it on her own by authoring a newspaper column column, though she is still in the shadow of her more accomplished siblings. She has not had as much success in love, though her relationships did give her two children she adores from two different men with whom she is still friendly. Her writing attracts the attention of Jill Rohmer, a woman on death row for killing 3 children she was a caretaker for. Jill offers Charley the opportunity to interview her exclusively in hope of a book deal - Jill wants her side of the story to be told. Charley sees this as her opportunity to make it big, but when emails start arriving which contain threats to her children, Charley realizes that there is more to Jill's story than she has been told and she is in over her head.

This was the first book I have read by Joy Fielding. Though not exactly War and Peace, it is very good for what it is: a psychological thriller geared towards women. There are elements of romance, suspense, and family drama. The story is entertaining, the characters (especially Charley's troubled brother Bram) are interesting, and the subplots concerning Charley's efforts to repair the broken relationships between her siblings and parents keep the story moving during the sections that do not focus on Jill. I read this book in one day - Charley's Webb perfect as escapist fiction.

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